Light emitting aerodynamic discs have been suggested in the past to enable disc throwing and catching during the dusk and even nighttime hours. These have included phosphorous light emitting coatings for the disc and more frequently have included discs that have receptacles for removably mounting chemiluminescent tubes. These tubes are fairly standard in construction and contain a flexible outer tube and an inner frangible wall that separates the tube into two compartments, each containing one of the chemiluminescent compositions that when mixed emit light for 4 or more hours depending upon the volume and strength of the chemiluminescent compositions.
One drawback with the plastic discs that have compartments to hold the removable chemiluminescent tubes is that they effect the aerodynamic properties of the discs and because the discs frequently are abused by hitting fixed objects, such as trees and buildings, the chemiluminescent tubes are likely to fall out of the discs.
A more significant problem in these prior flying discs that carry light emitting devices is that they do not illuminate the entire disc as it spins, and while this is not particularly significant for purposes of throwing the disc, it does interfere with catching the disc because the catcher cannot determine the location of the outer rim of the disc which is usually utilized for catching, as well as for throwing purposes.
A final comment on these prior illuminatable discs is that they are far too complicated and costly for the flying disc market.
The following is a list of United States Patents resulting from a prior art search:
______________________________________ Inventor Title of Patent U.S. Pat. No. Issued ______________________________________ Strawick Chemi-luminescent 4,086,723 5/2/78 Flying Saucer Boatman, Light Transmissive 4,207,702 6/17/80 et al. Flying Saucer With Chemical Lightstick Gould Illuminated Flying 4,254,575 3/10/81 Saucer-like Toys Kuntnkay Lighting Adapter Kit 4,431,196 2/14/84 and Method For In- stalling Lights In A Flying Disc Riccardi, Flying Disk Toy 5,348,509 9/20/94 et al. Stamos Illuminated Flying 5,536,195 7/16/96 Disc ______________________________________
The Boatman, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,207,702, shows a saucer-shaped toy that has a plurality of central clips 32 that hold a straight chemiluminescent light stick. In this design, the light stick can fall out of the disc and illuminates only a small central portion of the disc. The Strawick, U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,723, shows a design similar to Boatman, et al.
The Gould, U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,575, shows an aerodynamic flying saucer with a chemiluminescent ring tube that when positioned in an annular ring, fits within the disc. This configuration, when the chemiluminescent tube is activated and the disc is thrown, illuminates only a small part of the perimeter of the disc so that the disc appears as a thin lighted ring.
The Stamos, U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,195, shows an illuminated flying disc having a flexible chemiluminescent tube threaded through apertures in the top of the disc.
It is a primary object of the present invention to ameliorate the problems noted above in flying aerodynamic discs having chemiluminescent means for illuminating the disc.